Porsche has been talking about making a 911 Hybrid for a number of years, and CEO Oliver Blume would like to remind us all that it's still coming. While a purely electric version of Zuffenhausen's iconic sports car won't arrive before 2030, the partially electrified derivative is arriving sooner rather than later. In a roundtable interview with the media, the company's top brass shared some preliminary details.
Chief of which will be the type of hybrid powertrain it'll use as Blume mentioned Porsche will implement a non-PHEV setup. In other words, owners won't have to plug in to charge the battery. This decision tells us the first-ever 911 fitted with an electric motor is going to feature a small battery to keep the weight penalty down to a minimum. Going the PHEV way would've made the car heavier, aside from causing problems related to packaging.
Gallery: Porsche 911 Hybrid Spy Shots
The man in charge in Stuttgart went on to describe the car as being a "sporty hybrid," suggesting the electric component will be geared towards performance rather than efficiency. Of course, the main reason Porsche is going down the hybrid avenue is to meet increasingly stricter emissions regulations. The extra oomph delivered by the electric motor creates a win-win situation for the German automaker and its customers.
Speaking with Car and Driver, Oliver Blume said the 911 Hybrid will take after the 919 Hybrid endurance race car, which triumphed at Le Mans from 2015 through 2017. He was likely referring mainly to the hybrid technology implemented in the hugely successful track machine. When asked by the media whether the GT3 will be hybridized at one point, the 53-year-old executive only said the firm has a few "surprises" in tow for the track-focused models.
Electrifying 911:
During the annual media conference on Friday, Porsche estimated half of its annual sales will come from hybrids and EVs by the middle of the decade. By 2030, the EV share is projected to increase to over 80 percent. To get there, the Taycan sedan and wagon will be joined by a zero-emissions Macan in 2023 due to be followed by a 718 Boxster / Cayman EV due by 2025.
At Porsche HQ, reducing emissions is not all about hybrids and EVs since the company expressed its commitment to continue the development of synthetic fuels. Ideally, these will save the combustion engine or prolong its life at the very least.
Source: Car and Driver